Families

How to Overcome Test Anxiety and Support Students Before an Assessment

By ERB Team / November 21, 2023

Students with test anxiety show symptoms in situations involving academic evaluation, making it difficult to demonstrate their true knowledge and abilities. […] read more

The Distinctive Value of Independent Schools

By ERB Team / September 15, 2023

Independent schools are non-profit, mission-driven institutions governed by a board of trustees and funded by tuition and charitable contributions. […] read more

How to Interpret the New Milestones Norms

By Glenn Milewski / September 14, 2022

New Updates to Milestones Norms for Fall 2022 Milestones is an interim assessment of reading and mathematics that complements the CTP.  When it was first launched in the fall of 2020, ERB used CTP data to construct Milestones norms. This was appropriate given that Milestones and CTP share the same score scale and use very similar test specifications.   After two years of administration, ERB determined that it collected sufficient data to construct norms based on actual Milestones test-takers. These norms better reflect students’ performance on Milestones and are more useful to members interpreting results. ERB will keep adding years to the Milestones norm […] read more

All About the Data – Understanding CTP Norms

By Glenn Milewski / September 13, 2022

CTP Norms Fall 2022 As the 2022-2023 school year gets underway, we want to update you on the latest with CTP norms and explain how we developed the current CTP norms in relation to pre and post-pandemic data. CTP norms for the fall 2021 test administrations were frozen due to anomalies in the fall 2020 data (e.g., low volume, non-representative samples, and COVID disruptions). Norms were unfrozen in the fall of 2022 given: the desire for members to understand performance in relation to the pandemic context, and a rebound in test taking that occurred as members adapted to schooling during […] read more

Ahead of the Curve: How PEG™ Has Led Automated Scoring for Years

By Glenn Milewski / August 29, 2022

What is PEG™? PEG, or Project Essay Grade, is the automated scoring system at the core of ERB Writing Practice.  It was invented in the 1960s by Ellis Batten Page, a former high school English teacher, who spent “many long weekends sifting through stacks of papers wishing for some help.” His guiding principles? 1) the more we write, the better writer we become, and 2) computers can grade as reliably as their human counterparts (Page, 2003).  The state of computers at the time of Page’s invention did not leave much room for automation, so PEG lay dormant until the mid-1980s.  […] read more

ERB Launches Writing Practice

By ERB Team / August 12, 2022

ERB Launches Writing Practice with new design, functionality, and enhanced features to help students improve their writing skills with instant, actionable feedback. A robust library of prompts and lessons saves educators time while providing students unlimited opportunities to practice writing. ERB announced today the availability of ERB Writing Practice, an online program designed to help students improve their writing skills through practice, feedback, and guided support backed by the industry’s most accurate automated scoring algorithm. ERB Writing Practice helps educators and families save valuable time while giving students immediate and individualized feedback and opportunities for growth. Why ERB Writing Practice? […] read more

Latest Reading

Explore ERB’s Professional Development Opportunities

Available Professional Development Workshops ERB provides professional development and speakers for schools, parent events, and conferences on a range of topics relating to data, insight, assessment, and social-emotional learning. Available workshops include: “Maximizing 360 Access” […] read more

Check-In Survey Now Available

Measure Student Social and Emotional Well-being We are thrilled to announce that Check-In Survey is now available to ERB member schools that purchased CTP Online or Milestones. The survey does not need to be administered […] read more

ISEE Testing Options During COVID

ERB is here to help navigate these uncertain times. We know that the recent Covid surge is causing disruptions. ERB is here to help navigate these uncertain times. If you have test events scheduled in […] read more

Testing Options During COVID

With the recent surge in COVID cases, we know you may be considering changes to your testing plans as a result of the varying conditions in your community. We want you to know that our […] read more

Please note that 360 Access will be unavailable due to scheduled maintenance on Friday, October 13, from 8:00 pm until 11:59 pm ET.